Toy airplane apparatus



Nov. 3, 1942. F. A. CHRISTIANSEN 9 'ro r AIRPLANE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 26, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 3, 1942 TOY AIRPLANE APPARATUS Frederic A. Christiansen, Los Angeles, Calif., as

signor of one-half to Lane Rhodes and onehalf to Vesta L. Hammer, both of Beverly Hills,

Calif.

Application February 26, 1940, Serial No. 320,808

' 7 Claims. (01. 272 s1 My invention relates to Toy airplane apparatus of the general type of that shown in my Letters Patent No. 2,075,267, and in my Letters Patent No. 2,210,139.

Among the salient objects of this present invention are: i

To provide certain improvements in the drive mechanism and in the control mechanism whereby a more realistic manipulation of the airplane is made possible by the operator of the 'toy;

To provide an improved connection of the airplane to the carrying arm therefor, whereby it is possible for the plane to make a complete roll on its longitudinal axis as it is flying around its course of travel;

To provide a construction and arrangement whereby, from the joystick, all of the actual maneuvers of a real plane in flight can be successfully accomplished, such as looping the loop, making both inside and outside loops; and also making possible a three point landing;

To provide an improved spring motor or power means whereby the airplane can be flown for a considerable period with one winding of said spring.

Other advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of, one practical embodiment thereof, taken with the accompanying two sheets of drawings, which I will now describe. g

In the drawings, v Y 1 Figure 1 is a top plan view looking down upon a toy airplane apparatus embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the vertical structure or body, with the carrying arm for the airplane and the control cable broken off;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3, on Fig. 1, showing batteries and spot lamp;

Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7, are sectional views, respectively, taken on the lines 44, 5-5, 6-5, and 11 on Fig. 1;

Fi ure 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional View through the actuating mechanism, as. on line 8--8 on Fig. 1; and

Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12 are views and sections taken, respectively, on lines 99, I5|0, and llll on Fig. 8, and line l2--I2 on Fig. 11.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, my invention as shown is mounted on a base casting l3, to which is secured a housing M, by a central bolt l5, which housing I4 is surrounded by a member [6, in which stands a cylindrical tower or enclosure [1, provided at its upper end with a head member or casting l8.

The power plant consists of a drive shaft l9, having a bearing 20 in said member l8, and provided near its upper end with a gear 2|, keyed thereto. A coiled spring 22 is mounted on said shaft ill, with its upper end inserted through the shaft at 22' so as to be secured thereto, while the lower end of said spring is secured to an arm 23, on a collar 24, on the shank of a gear 25, mounted loosely on said shaft 19, and adapted to be turned by a beveled gear 25, on a horizontal shaft 27, with a crank 28 on its outer end, and all having suitable bearings at 25, 29, on frame portions 311, 35, of the housing I4, as seen in Fig. 11. The shaft 19 at its lower end has a bearing in said frame portions at 31, and is provided at its lower end with a gear 32, in mesh with a pinion 33, on a shaft 34, having thereon a brake pulley 35, whereby a brake element 35, on an arm 31, can be applied thereto as desired, in a manner hereinafter again referred to.

Mounted in a long bearing 39, in the head casting I8, is a tubular member or sleeve 40, having near its lower end a gear 41, secured thereto by a set screw 42, and in mesh with the gear 2|, on the drive shaft l9. Slidably mounted through said tubular member 40 is a bar 43, having a rack 44 at its upper end extending upwardly out of the upper end of the member or sleeve 40, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. The lower end of said bar is shown square and is anchored in a block 45, held in a yoke 46, slidably mounted on an upstanding bar 41, held in the top of the housing member 14, as at 48. Said yoke 45 has a projecting lug 45 to which is secured an operating wire 49, for moving said yoke 46, and said bar 43 and rack 44 up and down. Said operating wire 49 is eX- tended through a flexible tubing 50 to a control block or base 5|, seen in Fig. 1, which can be moved to different positions for the convenience of the operator. On this control block is an operating lever 52, secured at its lower end to a shaft 53, Figs. 5 and '7, on the outer end of which is an arm 54 to which said operating wire 49 is attached, whereby said wirecan be moved for the purpose of moving the yoke 46 and the rack shaft 43-44 up and down within certain limits, as hereinafter again referred to. The lever 52, it will be seen in Fig. 1, moves in an open slotlike place 52'.

Also mounted on said control block 5!, is another lever or arm 55, which is secured, as at 55, to the flexible tubing 55, for the purpose of turning said tubing in opposite directions for moving the lever or arm 31, back and forth, for the purpose of operating the brake element 36,

on the arm 31, secured to said flexible tubing Thus by turning the crank 28, and the meshing gears 26 and 25, the long coiled spring canbut when turned in the opposite direction the tendency is to unwind said springand there is no looking or binding. By operating the brake lever 55, through the flexible tubing 50, the brake element 36 can be applied at will,'as desired, to the brake pulley 35, for controlling the drive of shaft l9, gear 2| and pinion 4| on the tubular member or sleeve 40, which carries at its upper end the means for supporting the airplane arm, now to be described. The operation of the other lever 52, on said control block 5|, operates the rack bar up and down as may be desired, and this will now be described.

Mounted on or formed as a part of the upper end of said member 40 is a frame structure 51, including two spaced lugs 51', seen also in Fig. 9. The upper part of said frame structure is in the form of a square frame 58, as seen in Figs. 8 and 9. Said frame structures 51 and 58 can be made integral, or built up, as may be most economical in production. Mounted through said frame structure is a shaft 59, in the middle of which is keyed a gear 60, with which said rack bar 44 is in mesh, as clearly indicated. Also on said shaft is a larger beveled gear 61, keyed thereto, in mesh with another beveled gear 62, on a shaft 63, extending into a bearing member 64, shown as a part of said frame 58, Fig. 8.

Said bearing member 64 is adapted to receive the end of a shaft 65, at the outer end of which the airplane A is mounted, said shaft being detachable, at will, and to this end it is provided with a pin and slot connection, as at 66, within the tubular end of said shaft 63. A coiled spring 61 is shown therein bearing against the end of said shaft, as shown, said shaft also having an enlargement 68 fitting in the outer end of the bearing member 64, whereby said plane carrying shaft 65 is held firmly in place.

On the opposite side of said frame structure 58, is an extension 69, on which is supported, in suitable frame members 10, 10, two storage batteries H, H, to furnish electricity to a spot lamp (2, supported on said structure and directed on to the airplane A, as the parts are revolved, to throw a light continuously on the airplane at the outer end of the carrying arm 65, as the mechanism is operated.

The airplane A has an elongated body 13, with the Wings 14, I4, propeller 15, and tail 16. The plane is attached to the carrying shaft or arm 65 by means of a collar or band ll, around the middle of the body 13, as seen in Fig. 6, whereby the plane body, wings and tail can all turn or roll completely over on its longitudinal axis in said supporting collar or member 11. Within said supporting collar or member 11, is a tube 16, having in its opposite ends two bearing collars, as 80, 80, through which extends a connecting rod I9, extended into the opposite end portions of the body of the airplane, and connecting them together. The collar band I1, to which the carrying shaft or arm 65 is secured, and the inner tube 18 do not turn, but form a support and bearing for the two end portions of the plane body, the rod 19 and the bearing collars 80, turn as a unit together as the plane makes a roll on its longitudinal axis, as before referred to. It will be understood that any construction of the airplane and its connection to the carrying arm can be adopted provided it is supported around its longitudinal axis so as to make a complete roll on its own axis.

The wire 49 which operates the rack bar 43--44 up and down, extends through a flexible tube 50' from the brake applying arm 31, but a portion of said wire 49 is carried through a more rigid tubular member, designated 50', Figs. 8, 11 and 12, to prevent the wire from buckling when operated longitudinally for the purpose of moving the yoke 46 and the rack bar 44 up and down for the purpose of rotating the supporting arm or shaft 65 and its connections to turn the plane therewith end over end as said shaft or arm is revolved in either direction by the operation of said rack bar up and down at will from the control block 5 I.

Thus it will be seen that the supporting arm or shaft for the airplane is pivotally and revolubly connected to the upper part of the vertical structure and revolves with this part of said structure, as a unit, about the vertical axis thereof; that said supporting arm can be revolved about its longitudinal axis at will for the purpose of turning said airplane end over end, or about an axis transversely through its middle portion and in alinement with said shaft or arm; that said airplane is also supported so that it can make a complete roll on its own longitudinal axis; that the turning of the carrying shaft or arm 65, as before described, tilts the airplane up or down, as desired, and its motion around the vertical structure, causes it to rise, if tilted up, or to descend, if tilted down, or, if held on even keel, to revolve around and around the supporting structure.

So far as I am aware, I am the first to provide a means for actuating a brake which includes a flexible tube with a wire therethrough, with connections so that the twisting or turning of the flexible tube applies or releases the brake, and in which the independent movement of the wire in said flexible tube operates another movable part of said mechanism. This combination or dual use of a flexible tube carrying a wire therein makes for great economy in the manufacture of toys'and the like, and also for ease and convenience of manipulating and controlling the mechanisms from some little distance from the structure.

I do not, however, limit my invention to the details of construction and arrangement as here shown for explanatory purposes, except as I may be limited by the hereto appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a toy airplane apparatus, a supporting structure, power means therein, a supporting arm pivotally and rotatably connected at its upper end with the upper part of said structure, whereby said arm can be raised and lowered at its outer end, and can be revolved about its longitudinal axis, connections from said power means for revolving said supporting arm around a vertical axis and around said structure, and a toy airplane connected with the outer end of said arm, to be revolved therewith about the longitudinal axis of said arm, end over end, said connection being around its longitudinal axis whereby said airplane can roll completely over on its longitudinal axis.

2. In a toy airplane apparatus, a supporting structure, power means therein, a supporting arm pivotally and revolubly connected with the upper part of said structure, whereby said arm can be raised and lowered on a horizontal axis at the connection, connections from said power means for revolving the upper part of said structure and said supporting arm about a vertical axis, manually operable means connected with the attached end of said supporting arm for revolving it a complete revolution about its longitudinal axis, and a toy airplane connected with the outer end of said arm, to be turned therewith a complete revolution end over end on the axis of said supporting arm, said connection being around the longitudinal axis of said airplane, whereby said airplane can also roll completely over on its own longitudinal axis.

3. In a toy airplane apparatus, a vertical supporting structure, power means therein, a part of the upper end of said structure being revoluble by said power means about a vertical axis, a carrying arm pivotally connected at its upper end with the upper revoluble part of said structure, means for turning said carrying arm on its longitudinal axis, an airplane connected with the outer end of said arm to turn therewith about the vertical axis and also end over end about the longitudinal axis of said carrying arm, the connection with said airplane being around its longitudinal axis and adapted to permit said airplane to make a complete roll on its longitudnal axis, and means for causing the rotation of said carrying arm manually at will about its longitudinal axis to tilt said airplane up or down as it is revolved around the supporting structure.

4. In a toy airplane apparatus, a vertical structure, a drive shaft vertically supported therein, a coiled spring around and connected at one end with said shaft, means for winding said coiled spring to put drive tension on said shaft, a part of said vertical structure being revoluble by said drive shaft about a vertical axis, a supporting arm pivotally and revolubly connected at its upper end with said part of said vertical structure to turn therewith, manually operable connections at the connected end of said supporting arm for rotating said arm on its nected with the free end of said supporting arm longitudinal axis, at will, and a toy airplane connected with the free end of said supporting arm and adapted to be turned therewith on the longitudinal axis of said arm to tilt said airplane up or down as it is being driven around said vertical structure, whereby to cause said airplane to rise or to descend during its travel around said vertical structure.

5. A toy airplane apparatus including a supporting structure having its upper part revoluble about a vertical axis, power means therein for revolving said part, an airplane carrying arm pivotally and revolubly connected at its upper end with said revoluble part of said supporting structure to revolve therewith as a unit, drive connections from said power means for revolving said part of said structure and said carrying arm, rack and gear means, manually operable, for revolving said airplane carrying arm on its longitudinal axis, an airplane connected with the free end of said arm to be turned end over end with the turning of said carrying arm, whereby said airplane can be tilted up or down at will by turning said arm, said arm being free to rise or descend on its pivotal connection as said airplane is tilted up or down, and a tube with operating wire therein connected with the mechanism for revolving said carrying arm, whereby said carrying arm can be manipulated at will to tilt said airplane on its transverse axis.

' 6. In a toy airplane apparatus, a supporting structure, an arm rotatably mounted on said structure, an airplane carried by the outer end of said arm, power means in said structure for revolving said arm and said airplane, brake means for controlling the application of the power, means for revolving said arm to tilt said airplane, a long flexible tube operatively connected with said brake means, means for turning said flexible tube to apply and release said brake means, an operating wire extended through said tube and operatively connected wlth :said arm for revolving it for tilting said airplane, and an operating member connected with said wire for revolving said arm to tilt said airplane during its travel around said supporting structure.

'7. In an apparatus of the character referred to, a structure with power means therein, a carrying arm pivotally and rotatably connected with said structure and said power means to be operated thereby, brake means for controlling the application of power to said arm, a long flexible tube with operating wire therethrough, said flexible tube being rotatable to operate said brake means and said operating wire being connected with said carrying arm for rotating it to tilt an airplane on the outer end of said arm, said airplane being secured to the free end of said arm to move therewith around said structure.

FREDERIC A. CHRISTIANSEN. 

